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george edmundson

With the League Two 18/19 season not yet over till the playoff final on Saturday, Oldham have shown that they are not going to rest on their laurels and leave the building of the squad for next season to the last minute.

In a move that has been widely welcomed, Latics have managed to persuade Gevaro Nepomuceno to sign a one-year extension to his contract. Without doubt, Gevaro had an excellent 18/19 season with us and will be a useful asset next season. Few teams at League Two level play with a winger, preferring a more direct approach and Nepomuceno showed on numerous occasions that having a player out wide, especially one who can cross the ball so accurately is a great asset.

Gevaro’s skill was best displayed against Fulham in the FA Cup, when he provided the cross for Callum Lang’s winner but there have been other notable performances.

Athletic’s other signing was Alex Iacovitti who was on loan with the club last season from Nottingham Forest. The 21-year-old was released at the end of the season and apparently, Latics beat off stiff competition for his signature. Alex is ideal for League Two due to his size and physical presence. He may well find that he gets a lot more starts next season due to the exit of club captain Peter Clarke and, the possible transfer of George Edmondson to any one of a number of interested parties.

In the past, the club has been accused of leaving the building of the team for the new season too late, and early results have suffered as a consequence. The other critique is that Latics are signing players before appointing a new coach, but the urgency in getting Nepomuceno was evident as he could easily have signed for one of our rivals.

There is plenty going on at the club that fans are uneasy with, however, the signing up of two decent players who have already proven their worth should quieten down the doubters for the time being.

Changes at boardroom level are largely unnoticed by fans unless the incoming chief executive is a billionaire who likes spending money.

At Oldham in the past, a newcomer to the board would hardly merit a mention. However, with every statement and action from the club being monitored in minute detail, the changes that took place this week have once again triggered disbelief and ridicule.

A simple announcement of the changes was posted on the club website with Abdallah Lemsagam as Owner and Director, his brother Mohamed Lemsagam as Sporting Director and Barry Owen, Adam Morallee and Darren Ratcliffe as non-executive Directors.

It has long been claimed that the Lemsagam’s have been involved in interfering in the choosing of the team and, that was an accusation aimed by Paul Scholes after his departure. They deny it but with Mohamed Lemsagam as ‘Sporting Director’ and no manager in place, someone must be keeping an eye on potential signings and dealing with bids for George Edmundson – so it is a safe bet to assume it is ML.

The one oddity appears to be Adam Morallee who is a colourful character with a chequered past. He is certainly not a shadowy figure with an untraceable past, quite the opposite in fact. Morallee is easy to track down on social media as the manager of boxer David Haye. He gave what is widely described as a ‘cringeworthy’ speech prior to the Hayes/Bellow fight in 2018.

It is his involvement in the football world which will probably cause Oldham fans more sleepless nights however. He was Massimo Cellino’s lawyer during his takeover of Leeds United in 2014.

During his time at Leeds, he also represented Giuseppe Bellusci when he was accused of racist slurs against Cameron Jerome.

Cellino incase anyone was unaware, had a turbulent time at Leeds going through six managers in three years. Although Morallee wasn’t involved in some of Cellino’s wilder antics, it will still be seen as a controversial appointment.

Elsewhere on the board is Barry Owen who was Chairman of Trust Oldham for 12 years, and is widely distrusted by Oldham supporters for a number of reasons. He resigned during the club’s failed attempt to sign Ched Evans in 2015 but was co-opted back onto the board.

Whoever makes up the board at Oldham, their relevance and eligibility for the job will be measured by the way in which the team performs in League Two next season. That is an easy way of looking at it, but all that the fans want is a team which is able to compete adequately and push for promotion without the off-field distractions which marred the 18/19 campaign.

If the board can deliver on that hope, the Lemsagam’s can appoint whoever they like.

There are a good number of gems to be found in the lower divisions if clubs can be bothered to look for them and one of the brightest of them, Oldham’s George Edmundson is currently being sought by several clubs including Scottish Premier side Glasgow Rangers.

It’s always a blow to a club’s supporters to lose an integral member of the team but given Oldham’s league status, diminishing support and financial uncertainty the chance to cash in on a player is a pill that has to be swallowed.

The question as to whether Edmundson can make the step up to a higher division has already been answered, by the clubs who have shown an interest in him. Originally that consisted of the likes of Scunthorpe and Fleetwood but Edmundson will surely be aware that he can set his sights much higher, and that he would be seriously undervaluing himself if he didn’t aim for the best option available to him.

Although Latics fans would miss the young defender, they can surely not deny him the chance to possibly play in the Europa League next season and also experience the delight of a Glasgow derby!

Oldham have lost players to bigger clubs in the past and that is a burden we have had to carry. Another ex-Latics defender who began his career with us is James Tarkowski, who is now with Premier League Burnley and in the England squad.

It could be (but is highly unlikely) that the promising centre back might be persuaded to stay with Oldham until his contract runs out next season, however ‘cashing in’ on him now makes more sense as far as the club’s financial situation. The figures being reported are close to the £500,000 mark, and that is a figure we can’t afford to turn down no matter how much people think he will be worth in the future.

Should Edmundson go, it is to be hoped that he finds his way into the first team as soon as possible, rather than become lost in the club’s reserves. It will hopefully give a chance to one of Latics other youngsters to step up to the mark in his place.

When both players were injured at Newport County, it is hardly surprising that Latics went on to lose the game and then let in five against Northampton when the duo were again missing for the final game of the season.

Oldham Athletic’s Awards Dinner was dominated by Peter Clarke (Trust Oldham Player of the Season, Supporter’s Player of the Season and Goal of the Season) and George Edmundson (Oldham Athletic Community Trust Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season) and rightly so. Both player’s contributions to this season have been immensely important and cannot be ignored.

Peter Clarke’s contract expires at the end of this season and depending on where you read it, he is not expected to remain at Boundary Park because he wants a move or the club have no intention of offering him a contract. Peter Wild who obviously knows Clarke well said “Pete has made a phenomenal impact on the club, leads as a role model on and off the pitch, any young player in the game looking to get into the game or establish themselves in the game should look no further than Peter Clarke, he’s the ultimate role model for this football club and many players across the country.”

Clarke hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, or not being as sharp as is capable of and to lose such a player would be a grave mistake indeed. Given that he has played most of the games this season, he should be given the chance to lead the line again next season.

George Edmondson still has 12 months left on his contract but it hasn’t stopped club’s from keeping an eye on him. Sunderland, Stoke and Preston have all been reported as showing interest and, if they come up with a big enough carrot, cash strapped Latics are unlikely to be able to resist it. The fact that he was the players choice as Player of the Year, shows that the 21-year-old has a bright future.

Oldham have been pretty lucky with injuries this season and have only had a couple of players out for lengthy periods. When we have struggled with losing a defender there has always been cover available. Unfortunately, the injuries to Peter Clarke and George Edmundson and on loan ‘keeper Daniel Iversen will probably mean that the back line for the final game will look completely different than usual.

Obviously, Athletic hope to finish on a winning note with Callum Lang signing off in style after failing to find the net in the last five games. His fourteen goals this season have helped Latics stay within reach of the playoffs and of course steered them into the 4th round of the FA Cup.

Northampton’s main threat comes from 32-year-old Andy Williams who appears to have spent most of his career shuffling between West Country clubs Hereford, Bristol Rovers, Yeovil and Swindon before moving to Doncaster then Northampton.

A forward whose online profile describes him as weak at aerial duels, holding on to the ball, passing and very weak at finishing shouldn’t prove to be much of a handful against Athletic’s rejigged defence. But he is obviously in the side for a good reason and shouldn’t be ignored. He is obviously popular with the supporters and recently said about them “Deep into myself I play the game, without your love it always ends the same while life around me goes on everywhere, I’m playing Solitaire”

The Oldham back four will probably include Tom Hamer, Alex Iacovitti and Rob Hunt but could well include Jamie Stott who has returned from a loan spell with Stockport, having picked up two young player of the year awards following their success in the National League North. Also in the running has to be former youth team player Javid Swaby-Neavin who signed professional terms this week alongside midfielder Harry Robinson.

Also in the mix could be Jay Sheridan and Sonhy Sefil who has a contract till 2020 but hasn’t featured at all this season. Whilst all eyes might be on the players who will be performing for the last time for the club, it is the players who find themselves playing in the back line who might be the ones who influence the game the most.

It is very easy for fans to cast aside an end of season defeat when there is very little to play for.

However, for the coach and players, the penultimate game of the season can prove to be a valuable lesson in both understanding why the squad haven’t achieved more and what they need to do to improve.

Tuesday nights defeat at Newport was almost inevitable, given that Latics had already failed at the hurdle of needing to win their last three games. The players can be forgiven for having their attention on a beach in Marbella, rather than the drab surroundings of South Wales. With Newport still able to make it into the top seven, the game was always going to be keenly contested.

What Athletic’s players were probably not prepared for was the physical onslaught wreaked on them by a Newport side desperate not to lose.

Both captain Peter Clarke and George Edmundson had to leave the field with injuries, following Newport’s attempts to barge into our players at every opportunity. It highlighted a problem we have had with other sides this season who are intent on imposing their physical strength on the game, once they have decided whether the referee will let them get away with it or not.

Athletic have won a good number of games this season with confident, passing football but they need to also learn that playing ‘ugly’ in the manner of MK Dons, Lincoln and Newport also gets you results and although it isn’t a pretty sight, it is sadly part of the formula for escaping League Two in the right direction.

For Peter Wild, the lesson learned needs to be to expect spoiler tactics and aerial bombardments as part of League Two life and to adjust his team accordingly. Latics fans wouldn’t want to see our players crumble into a heap at the sight of an opposition players shadow, but imposing ourselves on the game right from the kick off might be a valuable lesson.

On the last day of last season until things started to go horribly wrong just before half time, a young George Edmundson’s goal at Northampton was keeping Latics in League One and relegating neighbours Rochdale. George doesn’t score a great number of goals, but that would have been one to remember.

He has been an ever present this season and, one of the first on the team sheet whoever the manager has been. There was an interesting statistic floating around at the start of the year, that no player under the age of 21 had won more aerial duels (239) or made more interceptions (331) in the top four tiers of English football this season than Edmundson. That obviously didn’t go unnoticed and there were several rumours that Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Preston, Wigan and Peterborough were interested during the transfer window but it came to nothing.

George signed a two year contract in September 2018 and they may well struggle to keep him when that contract expires. Comparisons have been made with James Tarkowski, capped twice for England and a regular in the Burnley side who started his career in the Oldham under 18’s.

His one goal so far this season came against Cambridge at Boundary Park from a set piece after the visitors had gone ahead, but it is not his goal-scoring ability which has got him noticed. For the first time in over 10 years, Latics have a positive goal difference approaching the end of the season, and it is due in no uncertain terms to the solid defensive ability of George alongside captain Peter Clarke and ‘keeper Daniel Iversen.

It could be a lot better of course with some late conceded goals being the downfall of Latics this season but when the dust has settled on the 18/19 campaign, the game at Fulham in the FA Cup will stand out with a match winning performance by Edmundson one of the highlights of a fantastic day.

It would have been a travesty if George hadn’t been included in the League Two team of the season and, the fact that he is alongside players who are all from teams in the top three shows how well he is regarded.

There has to be a point in the season when plans for the next campaign start to take shape. Given that Oldham are unlikely to embark on an 11 match winning streak, mid table is looking likely and the introduction of a couple of new faces would seem to make sense. However, we are not yet out of the running so it would be foolish to abandon any hope we may still have. Consequently, Paul Scholes should pick his best side for the Cambridge game which I believe should line up like this.

Goalkeeper 1. Daniel Iversen

An ever present in the team and rightly so. There have been numerous occasions when Daniel has shown that he is not just the best ‘keeper in League Two but, he has a long and successful career in front of him when he returns to Leicester City.

Defender 4. George Edmundson

If there are certain names that go on the starting 11 list first you can bet that at Latics Edmundson’s is amongst them. A product of Oldham’s academy he has been a regular this season, and attracted interest from clubs around the country during the transfer window.

Defender 26. Peter Clarke (C)

Fearless, composed and a natural leader. We really don’t have anyone at present who could replace Clarke at the heart of defence, and take over the role of Captain.

Defender 23. Rob Hunt

It’s common knowledge that when Hunt plays at full back, Nepomuceno can play on the wing and that’s a good enough reason to pick Rob every game.

Defender 34. Thomas Hamer

Another player from the Academy who has the extra ability of a long throw. In League Two football that’s the equivalent of having an extra man.

Midfield 8. Jose Baxter

The most improved player at Boundary Park since Christmas. Can turn a game round with a killer pass and has weighed in with several key goals. Latics fans will be looking for him to be playing a major part in the last 11 games.

Midfield 17. Christopher Missilou

Another player who we have missed when he hasn’t been in the side. Strong and direct but with some lapses in concentration. Still head and shoulders above others who are waiting in the wings.

Midfield 28. Mohammed Maouche

I genuinely wonder where we would be in the league if we hadn’t the services of Maouche. Clever and skilful and the perfect partner to Baxter.

Midfield 27. Gevaro Nepomuceno

Who can forget the pinpoint cross for the winner against Fulham which booked our place in the next round? Wasted at full back although he is perfectly at home there, Gevaro is best suited supplying the crosses for our frontmen.

Forward 19. Callum Lang

There’s not a lot to be said about Callum that hasn’t already been said. Extremely talented and by far a much superior player than many others in the division. Certainly too good to be returning to a poor side like Wigan at the end of the season.

Forward 9. Zachary Dearnley

If you’re going to give a loan player the number 9 shirt, he should be in the starting line up every game. Showed his obvious skills at Bury but tired late in the game. A chance to show what he’s made of is long overdue.

February was not a good month for Oldham despite an excellent start and the much heralded arrival of Paul Scholes. The early promise shown in Pete Wild’s last game win at Crawley and, Scholes’ debut win over Yeovil has dissipated somewhat with only 2 points gained from the last four matches. That form has eliminated any hopes that Latics could make a late surge for the play offs. With 17 points separating us from the relegation places, an end of season top 12 place is probably the best we can hope for.

This probably appears to be a situation close to disaster for some Oldham fans who expected a swift return to League One. However, given the fact that (once again) Latics are finishing a season with a different manager than they started it with, the fact that we are not approaching our last 10 games worrying about how many points we might need to avoid the drop should be treated as a bonus at the very least.

The Fulham game aside, there have been some extremely positive performances by several players, especially on loan Sam Surridge and goalkeeper Daniel Iversen. February’s Player of the month vote is being contested by three players who have had differing seasons so far, but there is little to choose between them for Latics fans casting their votes.

Given his recent revelations about his off field demons, Baxter has shown that when fit and motivated he can turn in a performance which proves he is one of, if not the best midfielder in League Two. With enough games left to increase his match fitness, Scholes will be looking for Baxter to finish the season strongly and perhaps be in consideration for next season’s plans.

It’s difficult to describe Callum Lang in more glowing terms than those that have already been heaped upon him. Quite simply one of the best loan players we’ve ever had and a credit to the game. Exceptionally gifted and by all accounts an extremely friendly and approachable individual. I’m not sure if an on loan player has won Player of the Season at Boundary Park but Lang must certainly be in the frame for it.

Getting Edmundson signed up on a contract till June 2020 is probably one of the best bits of business the club have done in recent years. Already attracting attention from clubs in higher divisions, George has been a rock at the heart of the defence alongside captain Peter Clarke. His inclusion in the side has certainly aided Oldham’s positive goal difference to being the best in many years. A future captain if we can keep hold of him.

There was a nervousness around Boundary Park before Saturday’s game with Bury, probably due to the fact that Oldham had struggled against teams above them in the table. The high scoring Shakers must have fancied their chances but if they did, a magnificent first-half performance by Latics put them in their place.

For me, the performance on Saturday perfectly encapsulated why Oldham have gone from a side who found losing easily, to one who can get into the faces of the opposition and battle for all three points.

Several players deserve a special mention, especially the midfield duo of Maouche and Nepomuceno, skipper Peter Clarke and ‘keeper Daniel Iversen but to whittle it down to just two players then the very obvious first one is…

Chris O’Grady

It is fair to say that O’Grady has had his fair share of clubs, including a previous spell with Latics. There was hardly a ticker tape parade when he signed from Chesterfield in July and to be perfectly honest, there have been times this season when he didn’t look up to the job.

However, his performance on Saturday was first class with the first hat trick at Boundary Park in seven years. Chris is a powerfully built player and his physical presence obviously unsettles opposition defenders.

His three goals came from a left-foot shot, a right foot shot and a header which isn’t just a hat trick, it’s a perfect hat-trick!. A Chris O’Grady who is injury free and fit will help a great deal in getting Oldham into the play-off places and he now has the Bury match ball to remind himself what he’s capable of.

George Edmundson

As Bury attempted to get back into the game on Saturday, the Oldham defence had to stand firm. Along with veteran captain Peter Clarke, former academy player Edmundson threw himself at everything.

An ever-present in the side this season, his inclusion has helped Latics attain the 5th best defensive record in the league and a positive goal difference. I’m a bit sceptical when it comes to badge kissers but when George left the pitch on Saturday patting his badge, you know that it means a lot to him to have moved up through the ranks and to be playing in the first team.